Meet Benji - the litter-picking rescue dog cleaning up Shropshire's canals
One rescue dog is cleaning up Shropshire's canals, with his litter haul including a full jar of pickled onions.
Benji, a five-year-old springer spaniel, has become a regular sight on the canal towpaths of Shropshire, spending his daily walks litter-picking with his owner John Standerline.
John, from Whitchurch, adopted Benji alongside a 12-year-old terrier called Lucy in January 2020 from Shrewsbury's Dogs Trust.
One day, on one of their government-permitted walks during lockdown, Benji brought John a little gift.
John explained: "I'd started taking him to the golf course, I couldn't play because of the pandemic and I thought it would be a nice open place for him to run about.
"Suddenly, one day, he appeared with a plastic bottle in his mouth. We took it off him and then he did it again so we gave him a treat and then it was more bottles and cans and anything else he could find!
"We must've cleared a couple of hundred things during lockdown from the golf course, including a pint glass off the first tee when the bar had been closed for four months."
When restrictions ended, John started taking the dogs along the Shropshire Union and Llangollen canals.
"Benji immediately started looking for litter on the canal. Bottles and cans are the most frequent things but he's found a complete jar of pickled onions and a full bottle of HP Sauce.
"The most common things he picks up are the poo-bags thrown in the bushes by dog walkers.
"That's so frustrating," said John. "He must've picked up 30 to 40 bags on the Whitchurch arm of the canal, and one of them was 20 yards from a bin. That's just inexcusable.
"But he continues his activities, He has trouble now because he's done such a good job that he's got nothing left to pick up - except more poo-bags!"
Sue Bromley, Assistant Manager at Dogs Trust Shrewsbury, said: “It’s been wonderful to hear of Benji’s dedication to keeping his local area tidy – we certainly weren’t aware of his eco-warrior tendencies whilst he was here at the rehoming centre!
"What a fantastic skill, I’m sure the local community and wildlife will be pleased with Benji’s efforts."
